February 2008
141 posts
I Guess This Qualifies as a 'Supergroup'... →
The Chicago-based Drag City label recently announced an upcoming release by the recently-formed outfit Singer. The group involves an uncanny convergence of local underground talent, with a lineup f…
Dawn Landes Gets Short-Shrifted →
Dawn Landes has found herself, as far as I can tell she’s a gentle soul, in the (un)fortunate position of opening up for two of the bruisiest rockers in alt-country - Will Hoge and Jason Isbell (ex…
Quick Bites →
The Green Grocer Chicago market is now open at Grand and Noble. And don’t criticize just yet for grabbing onto the “green” moniker for marketing purposes; the owner of the place is named Cassie Gre…
Nice Tix: Turning the Lampo on →
After a preview show last December, the good folks at Lampo are back with another lineup of striking experimental music shows. This Saturday features Alessandro Bosetti, and I am particularly psych…
Downtown Concerts in February →
Listed below are some of downtown Chicago’s biggest concerts during February. Click on “Get Tickets” to go directly to that concert’s ticket site.
Queensryche
Feb 1, 7:30pm, $37.50, Get Tickets…
January 2008
55 posts
Moonshine a-brewin’ →
Back when Moonshine first opened - maybe three or four years ago now - their name was a tease. Not just because they make no actual moonshine, but because they didn’t even sell alcohol since they l…
On the table: Natalino’s →
The sign is up and the neon is just as blingy as the one across the street at Five Star, but Natalino’s still has a few final touches to add before opening for business.
The man behind the soon-to-…
Swap-o-Rama-Rama Comes to Chicago →
The legendary Swap-o-Rama-Rama — part swap meet, part political statement, part DIY Project Runway — finally hies itself to Chicago on March 29 at the AV-aerie, 2000 W. Fulton. Bring $20 and a ba…
Mahjongg: Love means never having to apologize to... →
The Chicago outfit Mahjongg recently went off for an extended national tour. They’re out rounding up converts to Kontpab—which is both the title for their new album that’s now being released on K …
Another Band to Occupy Your Time →
It seems like it was just a few weeks ago we informed you Radiohead was coming to town. Now another alt-rock behemoth has announced they’ll be making their way to our little hamlet this summer. Jus…
One bite: griottines at the Matchbox →
Zut alors! Boozy griottines, or French sour cherries, at the Matchbox are a sweet deal.
The new Bruiser Review →
The new Bruiser Review hits newsstands.
Movies: City as Symphony →
Several decades before the eye-popping wizardry of Koyaanisqatsi, the “City Symphony” genre, whose golden age lasted until perhaps the early 40’s, was equal parts travelogue and razzle dazzle. The …
Sanctuary, Again →
Flor Crisostomo, a Latin American immigrant arrested in 2006 on immigration charges, may flout her deportation orders and seek refuge in Adalberto United Methodist Church, the same church where Elv…
Tuscan Veg Burgers →
I fried up oat and nut burger patties with friends tonight. I bought the Tuscan Burger Mix after chewing through the sample-filled aisles at Green Grocer Chicago (whose store opening Drive-Thru men…
Chicago church offers sanctuary to 2nd illegal... →
Elvira Arellano, son sought refuge there for a year The tiny storefront church…
Church to Harbor Another Illegal Immigrant →
The Adalberto United Methodist Church and its leader Reverend “Slim” Coleman have returned to the forefront of the immigration debate. You might remember them as the church who gave refuge for a ye…
Son de las Barricadas: Art and Resistance in... →
Son de las Barricadas: Art and Resistance in OaxacaPrints by the Assembly of Revolutionary Artists of OaxacaFebruary 1st through the 29thCafe Mestizo1646 W. 18th St.Exhibit Opening: Friday, Februar…
New Organic Grocery Store Opens in West Town →
So, how’s that New Year’s resolution going? You know…the one where you decided to eat healthier? If your resolution needs a bit of encouragement, or if you’re looking for a store that supports lo…
Honky-Tonk Friday (On Thursday!) - The Blue Line... →
I’ve got this Friday feature thingy on my personal music blog called Honky-Tonk Friday. I’m always excited to include Chicago bands but it’s an infrequent occurrence at best. I prepared this post t…
Flossin’ on eBay →
The three-turntable DJ duo Flosstradamus continues its steady rise out of Chicago, just as we predicted. Recent sets at Sonotheque and elsewhere were sold-out to the extreme. But, as the guys have …
Note to You: Purchase La Scala →
Last Saturday at the Empty Bottle, nestled between the opener (Let’s Get Out of This Terrible Sandwich Shop) and the headliner (Bang! Bang!), I discovered the perfect remedy to the coldest night in…
Via Alright! →
Brooklyn-by-way-of-Boston quartet Via Audio is no stranger to serendipity. A couple of years back, singer Jessica Martins passed Spoon drummer Jim Eno a disc of demos at one of the iconic indie ban…
Chicagoist's "Beer of the Week": Surly "Smoke"... →
We chronicled our Saturday night earlier this week, and we need remind no one that it was colder than a witch’s tit in a brass bra all day long. We arrived at Sheffield’s with about twenty minut…
Indoor Play Areas: Better Than Your Living Room →
It’s that time of year when our kids begin to get stir crazy. With the parks snowed over, and the temps discouraging any neighborhood meandering, these indoor play areas are godsends. The idea is …
Joe Bryl: When Good Things Happen to Good People →
In the serendipity department, I looked up the Sonotheque schedule online just to see what was cooking, and it seems they are doing a Kinks tribute on February 6, with rare video footage. Now, wi…
Death & Company are coming to our door →
This just in from the folks at The Violet Hour: From Sunday, February 10 through Wednesday, Februrary 13, Violet Hour and New York cocktail bar Death & Company will hold a little bartender swap. On…
PEDESTRIAN HELL →
PEDESTRIAN HELL An Exhibit at Efebos Café 1640 S. Blue Island Ave. January 25 (opening reception 6:30) – March 6 (2008) With: Janina Ciezadlo, Miguel Cortez, Tom Sibley, Rebecca Wolfram SPECIAL EVE…
What's Awesome: It's Almost the Weekend →
Smiling beluga by Joe M 500 An off-duty Chicago Police officer, working as a security guard at a bank in Ravenswood arrested a would-be bank robber. The suspect approach a teller, indicated he w…
The Friday Buffet →
The Dill Pickle Co-Op’s benefit concert goes down tomorrow night at the Av-Aerie, 2000 W. Fulton. Bands scheduled to perform include Reds and Blue, Pit er Pat, and Detholz. Things kick off at 8 p.m…
XXX Dance Party →
No, this dance party is not porntastic; it’s in celebration of DJ Dr. Drase’s 30th birthday. Who cares if you don’t know Drase personally - this is your chance to pretend you do and drink and dance…
Longtime Malcolm X College president retiring →
The longest-serving president of Malcolm X College announced her retirement Wednesday after 16 years at the helm of the West Side school.
Hump Day Music Round Up →
Welcome to the second full work-week of 2008. If yours is going anything like ours, the term “hump day” doesn’t even make you crack a smile. Here’s (hopefully) some motivation to get you to the wee…
My My My, Have We Traveled Back in Time? →
My My My, a chill local band that released this past fall their new album, Conjugation Nation, is self-described as sounded like “The Shins fronted by Cat Stevens.” This is wrong. While likely neve…
Shaping Up →
Nestled amidst all of the recent development in Printers Row, the loft venue and recording studio The Shape Shoppe has been an intimate, off-the-path hub for fractured pop and DIY experimental merr…
Live review: Man, I feel like a Lowman →
Now that my Barry Manilow re-education process is complete, color me impressed.
This past Saturday, I saw Barry rock a nearly sold-out house at the United Center and was kinda blown away. It’s hard…
First Look: Takashi →
One of the more anticipated restaurant openings in recent weeks has been Takashi, which opened its doors December 30th at 1952 N. Damen in Bucktown. Takashi’s opening is notable for both the che…
Now Legal Absinthes Crawling Out of Wood(worm)work →
Remember in Moulin Rouge when Ewan McGregor’s character drinks some green liquid, the camera tilts to a canted angle, the crazy music starts playing, and you felt like maybe someone had slipped a h…
Proyecto Latina →
Proyecto Latina is celebrating our 2nd anniversary! We’ve decided to celebrate with a big ol’ party! You know the best part? Performances by The Luna Blues Machine, Silvia Rivera, Amanda Torres, and Wendy Vargas. Plus a dance party with super-DJ’s La Primitiva and Spacerwoman. JOIN US!January 19th, 2008 @ 7pm. Held at Junior’s Sport’s Bar, 2058 W. Cermak Road....
Wanna Dance? →
We all know that Chicago has a little something for everybody. As far as dance classes go, there are bountiful opportunities throughout the city to try something new, develop a new skill, or just plain old embarrass yourself in front of your significant other. We went ahead and found some of the more interesting offerings in the way of dance classes: Get in the action! AMEBA is an acrobatic and...
A couple enthusiasms →
Messiaen at the Empty Bottle and Chicago’s equivalent of the New York Review of Books.
Sew fine Sunday →
This event slipped past our listings deadlines, but we couldn’t let it slip past you crafty readers. Diana Rupp, founder of Make Workshop (a design studio-cum-retail-store-cum-workshop-center in New York City) is landing in the heart of Chicago’s Craftland a.k.a Renegade Handmade from 12:30–2pm on Sun 13.
In addition to promoting her new book SEW: Sew Everything […]
My Carrie Moment →
I’ve been likened to the fictional sex columnist Carrie Bradshaw once or twice, but one thing we don’t have in common: the ability to trot in sky-high Manolo Blahniks. I bought my first pair recently on sale at Barneys (open-toe, patent-leather Mary Janes), but I’ve yet to wear them out of the house. Just looking at them in my closet gives me plenty of pleasure, sans pain.
But...
Chicagoist's "Beer of the Week": Hitachino Nest... →
Last weekend we had the opportunity to eat at the recently opened Takashi in Bucktown (we’ll have a full review of that later this week). Normally when we frequent the chef-driven concepts we try to take a seat at the bar - when there is one - and watch the goings-on around us. Sometimes, the bar is where you find all the real action and, if you’re lucky, find out the behind-the-scenes...
Aww. . .Don't Be Shy →
Were it not for the Gunshy, I would probably never understand the term “concept album”. To me, any album that is more than just a collection of songs and that strives to be singular in construction, like a symphony…
Get Ur Sikh On →
After its long evolution as the nightlife music of choice for young Asians in the UK, Bhangra has been lurking on the periphery of the dance music scene for over ten years without ever making much of a crossover…
SketchFest Weekend →
Saturday night at SketchFest was bigger, better, rowdier, drunker. Performers might have found audiences more forgiving (when friends and family came) and tougher (when the front row was soused). Groups filling the most coveted slots brought energy, harmony, and a bizarre hilarity to the stage. The Cool Table Cool Table’s energetic, spot-on deconstruction of dude culture made for a very satisfying...
The Lower Circle benefit →
a silent art auction to benefit the political sci-fi/horror film:The Lower Circle Selections of the film will be projected at the cafe and a discussion with directors is possible. Artwork donated by Miguel Cortez, Juan Compean, Rebecca Wolfram, Cesar Casas, T.S. Sibley and others.Saturday, January 12, from 5-8pmEfebos cafe1640 Blue Island AvePilsen Chicago, IL 60608Please come and invite friends...
Of sharks, bongs, and deep-fryers →
Must be something in the air…it’s a weird one, isn’t it? Like the skies are boiling or something. Who’s ever heard of 60 degree weather at the start of January?! Like an omen, or a harbinger or something. Something’s coming……
Chupacabras! Artists Reinterpret the Myth →
Chupacabras! Artists Reinterpret the MythArtists explore a transnational figure that defies real and imaginary borders.The legend of the Chupacabras has penetrated the Latino and American myth/reality landscape for almost two decades. In this exhibition, Chicago artists interpret the lasting impact that Chupacabras sightings have had on the Latin American and North American psyche. Opening night...